InTrOdUcInG
by sunkissedvampire
Summary: In which we learn that there are more than just Autocons and Deceptibots on this planet. Introducing a new kind of bot. His name is Spike, and he's a bit on the crazy side. Contains: Crude humor, drug references, death, and laughter. AKA Reality.:
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I should really stop. But I guess fanfic is more of a storage unit to me so that years later I can look back and find these stories and pick them up again. Anyways, this takes place after season 1. I am bringing in my own character that I created and this is kind of a preview, just to see if I can grab your attention X3. Let me know if you want to learn more. **

**##IMPORTANT#**

**I honestly think you should listen to the song that inspired this chapter. "Maps" by the yeah yeah yeahs. **

**Disclaimer: ugh, I don't own anything. Other than my character. **

"Where you goin'?"

"Not sure…somewhere I guess."

"Haha! Good luck with that!"

"Shut up ya lug head!"

…

Fingers clutched at the grass, digging into the ground, and creaking in protest. How long had it been? How long had it been since he had last seen the goofy smile that he had grown to enjoy? How long had it been since he had sped across the Earth with little care in the world but for his only friend that rode with him? How long?

The soft moonlight reflected off of the figure that lay stretched out on the ground, straining against the emotions that welled up within its body. Not a creature stirred inside that clearing other than the figure himself. The trees were still, as if holding their breath, waiting.

"Damnit!"

The word was forced out through clenched jaws that threatened to open, spilling out a primal scream that was clawing at his vocals, vying for a chance to touch the air.

A metal limb, all spiked armor and dented plating, reached up for the moon. He stared at his sharp talon like hand and gnawed at his lip in despair and frustration. He clenched his hand into a fist and dropped it, curling into a ball on his side and shuttered his optics. When would it stop?

The echoes of long lost memories bounced about in his mind: Gunshots, shouting, planes screeching by overhead, laughter, music, and the rain. If he really tried, he could even remember the sound of _his _voice.

He covered his audio receptors, the long finals sticking out from between his fingers.

"Make it stop…"

….


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm soooo sorry for any mistakes, but I'm so tired I could sleep for whole week and then some. So here's the first real chapter. It's a bit on the teen angst side, but what do you expect after the way the first season ended? lol. **

The single blade of grass, once fitting so snuggly within its stock, was ripped from the ground by one human Jack Darby. For some strange reason, it was this very act that people performed when they happened to be sitting near the vegetation and in an absent state of mind. Jack Darby was no different. Resting with crossed legs on the ground outside of his school, twenty minutes after the bell had rung; Jack could feel nothing but an angsty mixture of despair and boredom.

"This is so lame," exclaimed one frustrated Miko. She sat across from Jack with her chin resting in the palm of her hand.

"I'm a bit worried," Raf agreed with the punkette, for she was obviously nervous in her own way.

Jack only sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It had been only a week since Optimus Prime, the pillar that had remained strong throughout the entire war, had sided with the Decepticons after losing his memory. And it was showing. The Autobots had been so distracted and moody since then, that it was a wonder they even remembered the children existed.

The rays of the sun touched the ground, reaching through the canopy of the tree they sat under, and lent the day an unwanted cheeriness that left the three feeling bitter and irritated. The last of the few teenagers were leaving the school when the first hints of a windy night rustled through the leaves happily.

Yet all Jack could think about was how the person he had looked up to in infinite awe was missing. The very bot that had quickly become a father figure to him in the absence of his real dad, who had walked out on his small family years ago, had seemingly walked away as well. Optimus had been so kind and understanding to them, so strong, that Jack found it almost impossible to imagine him ever disappearing. Even when he had first realized that the Autobots were more than just robots, that they were people who could get hurt and die, Optimus had always remained separate from them. He could never be vanquished. Jack had never thought twice about it, but now it seemed like he _had _truly died. The Optimus they had all grown to know and rely on was gone, leaving them stumbling in the dark with no clear direction.

Arcee hadn't spoken more than three words to him since. And she was late. Again.

"Bulk wouldn't be this late unless it was important," Miko stated somewhat desperately to convince herself just as much as the others. She fell silent and watched the two boys brood. This was ridiculous even to her, and she was the drama queen of the group. She looked down at the drawing she had been working on that now lay on her lap, it had been a picture of Optimus, but she had scribbled it out in a fit of frustration. She checked her cellphone for what seemed the hundredth time and dropped it on the ground in annoyance.

Raf pulled out his laptop and booted it up. Jack glanced at him curiously and the younger boy only shrugged. "I've been trying to find something on Optimus in case Ratchet misses something," he explained, "Unfortunately, I can only use the internet since my laptop isn't exactly Cybertronian tuned."

"At least it's something," Jack spoke with an appreciative smile. Raf beamed at the approval and turned back to his computer, typing rapidly.

Miko met Jack's gaze next and smirked knowingly. Jack cleared his throat and scanned the street, looking for any of the Autobots. Raf was definitely growing on him, not that he hadn't liked him before, but now it was evolving into a kind of brotherly love that left Jack with the need to protect the younger boy; even against something like the falling apart of the Autobots.

Miko flopped to the ground just as a yellow Camaro pulled up to the curb and honked its horn enthusiastically. She immediately jumped back up and ran for the car, flinging herself onto the hood in dramatized relief.

Jack chuckled and stood, throwing his bag over one shoulder while waiting for Raf to gather his things. Bumblebee was truly a savior, out of all the bots he seemed to be the only one in high spirits, he was doing his best to keep everyone together in such a fragile situation. It felt like one wrong slip of the tongue would shatter the whole group.

The three climbed into the car, Raf up front, while Jack slid in next to Miko. Bumblebee drove away from the school, allowing the children to turn on the radio and relax. He had already decided on taking the longer route back to base to give them time with each other before entering the heavy oppressing atmosphere that had taken up residence within their domain. He drove slowly, letting other vehicles pass him by.

"So how's your crush?" Miko asked blandly.

"I kind of gave up on her," Jack admitted honestly. He was searching through his phones contact list absently.

Miko perked up curiously, "Why?" Her question was echoed by a surprised beep from Bumblebee.

"She's a bit fake, I guess I just didn't want to see it at first, but she's not all that bright." The explanation sounded lame even to Jack, and he rubbed at his neck awkwardly.

"It's about time, she's a bitch if you ask me," Miko replied encouragingly. "The other day I heard her throwing a hissy fit over some girl sitting in her seat." She prodded at the single bun she had put her hair in that morning self-consciously before glancing over at Jack who wore a blank expression.

"People." Was his only response.

"People." Miko agreed.

Bumblebee let out a string of cheery sounding beeps and the two in the back looked to Raf for a translation; the boy grinned, glad to be of any help. "He said that there are plenty of fish in the sea so keep your chin up."

Jack chuckled thankfully.

When Bumblebee was within sight of the huge buttress the jutted out against the dessert and blocked out the sun, the three grew silent. As he drove on through the door and down the spiraling ramp in the silo, the three grew somber. And when he finally pulled to a stop quietly within the main control room, the three were utterly depressed. They climbed out quickly enough, since it was rude to force the bot to wait on them, and moved off towards the designated human area without a word.

Raf placed his laptop on the coffee table and sat down on the ground in front of it to continue working while Jack flopped down onto the couch with a tired sigh and closed his eyes. Miko turned the TV on and picked up the remote before taking up the other side of the couch and kicking off her combat boots.

It was funny how much the silo was like a second home to them.

Ratchet appeared from one of the hallways, an outdated datapad clutched between his hands and a determined look on his face. It was the same expression he had been wearing for the past week. Miko had once commented that he looked like he really needed to use the bathroom, Jack had been quick to shush her, but Raf had giggled anyways. Luckily the medic was too distracted to pay attention to them.

Ratchet approached the computer and punched in a few coordinates, glanced at the datapad, and then set about scanning through the masses of information that began running across the screen muttering quietly to himself.

Bumblebee transformed a while later, delayed by a conversation with Bulkhead over their comm., and stood at the edge of the raised platform occupied by the humans. He let out the equivalent of a cybertronian sigh.

"Miko," Jack called to the girl sitting two feet away from him.

"What?" she asked distractedly, he eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Where's the blanket?" He shifted on the couch so that he was on his side, using his bag as a pillow.

Miko reached behind her and pulled a green knit blanket from under her and threw it at the boy, never taking her eyes off the TV.

Bumblebee watched in puzzlement before glancing at Raf and letting out an inquisitive buzz. Raf glanced up at the bot and then down at Jack, who was now snuggled into the blanket. "What's wrong Jack? You've never napped before."

Jack cracked one eye open, "Worked a double shift yesterday." He struggled against a yawn and closed his eyes once more.

Bumblebee chirped in sympathy, knowing that Jack very much disliked his job, and sent out a message to Arcee who was currently patrolling Jasper. She would probably show up an hour or two later only to greet Jack and then return to her room, but at least it would be something. Out of the three of them, Jack saw his guardian the least. Arcee had taken the loss of Optimus hard, in fact, she had become a bit of a loner in the past week. The bot looked over his shoulder as Bulkhead entered and made his way towards the group with a somewhat saddened smile on his face. Miko jumped off the couch to greet her friend cheerily.

It all seemed so fake to him.

…..

Hours later and the small group had barely moved. Jack had long since fallen asleep and Miko was soon to follow him. The sleepy haze was broken, however, by Raf.

"This may sound strange, but I think I found something." He spoke up timidly from his spot on the floor. Immediately, all eyes were on him.

"What did you find?" Ratchet asked wearily. He had turned away from the computer with one hand resting on the controls.

"Well, I don't think it has anything to do with Optimus," many a shoulder drooped. "But it looks like a Cybertronian had been spotted…" He trailed off, his eyes scanning the page.

"Yes?" Ratchet prompted impatiently. He was anxious to continue his search.

Bumblebee leaned over the railing curiously to get a look at the boy's laptop screen. His optics flickered in confusions, causing Bulkhead to lean over as well.

Miko, feeling a bit left out, jumped and crouched behind Raf to read over his shoulder.

"Well, it was during World War Two," Raf finished lamely.

"What?" Ratchet moved away from the controls and joined the two other bots already at the railing. He quickly examined the opened window. "I'm certain there are no records of any bot, Decepticon or Autobot, landing on Earth during that time period. The only explanation I could gather would be that he was a-," Ratchet paused and stared at the grainy picture that had been scanned and uploaded onto the internet. It was hard to make out the figure but…"By the Allspark…"

"What is it Doc?" Bulkhead asked.

"It's that brat from the academy!"

The two younger bots shared a curious glance before zeroing in on the controls. An earsplitting alarm accompanied by red flashing lights woke Jack from his slumber, causing him to jerk and fall to the ground.

"The computers picked up a new signal." Ratchet announced cautiously. It was too early to hope.

"What is it, Autobot or Decepticon?" Bulkhead followed the medic over to the controls excitedly.

"Neither," Ratchet answered without taking his optics from the screen, "They must have gone rogue."

Bumblebee spoke up questioningly. "Yeah, couldn't it be a neutral?" Bulkhead agreed.

"It could be," Ratchet turned his head to look Bulkhead in the optic, "but what would a neutral be doing all the way out here? They would have picked up all the radio chatter between us and between the cons. No. This bot is looking for trouble." Ratchet clenched his jaw and turned back to the computer.

What rogue would purposefully return to a war they had already run from?


End file.
